The druid shakes his head. "Cragmaw Castle actually. It used to be a castle, from the age of Phalorm. The goblins have taken it over... at least until it crumbles onto their heads. Look, the Emerald Enclave would love to have that nest wiped out, so if you want directions, I'll give you directions. At least you'll maybe thin them out a bit. Fools.
Now, Thundertree is infested with the dead from the eruption long ago, the twig blights you claim to already have fought, giant spiders, some strange humans walking about in black masks and worst of all, a very young dragon has made a lair in the tower. So I would appreciate not having to risk my life saving your foolish ones. Leave the way you came and be quiet about it.
If you need to rest, then get inside, shut the door and don't be a bother."
"Great. Give us the directions and we will be on our way."
This guy's an ass. I'm sure we have the opportunity here to help him out and wipe out a dragon, but do we really want to help this jerk? We should go kill goblins! My thoughts.
Skirting the forest and entering it from the South East (near the Triboar Trail) results in 12 hexes (5 miles per hex), the last one being through forest.
You can choose to travel at:
a fast pace covers 30 miles per day, can't forage and disadvantage to perception checks,
a normal pace covers 24 miles, or
a slow pace covers 18 miles, allows stealth and advantage to perception checks.
Fast pace: Get to Cragmaw Castle on your second day, entering the forest in the morning hours.
Normal pace: Get to Cragmaw Castle on your second day, entering the forest in late afternoon.
Slow pace: Get to Cragmaw Castle on your second day, entering the forest at dusk.
Or you can choose a combination of paces... say fast pace up to the forest, then slow pace through the forest.
Is it a good idea to get to the castle at dusk? We would be travelling for the whole day, be tired and then try to infiltrate the castle? In reality that would be an awful plan. And camping near the castle would seem to be a bad idea, because there would be goblins everywhere.
I vote fast pace first day, then a slower pace second day (to get us at the castle near afternoon. We would still be sneaking up to it, and it would give us lots of time during the day to take out the castle.)
The party travels as fast as they can along the forest edge, circling around to the south east side. That night you camp on the plain and get a good night's rest.
The next morning, you set out into the forest, slowly to stealth as much as possible.
Rolling Stealth checks to keep things moving along quicker:
You all try to stealth forward, but the mules become stubborn and hard to control. Rindelk, Katerielle and Elila in particular have trouble keeping them in control and they make a racket.
From around a large boulder, you hear loud grumbling and the snapping of large branches, maybe even trees, followed by a very familiar deep rumbling "FOOD?"
I'll make a map tonight. Until then, roll initiative and let me know what you want to be doing on your first turn. Let me know how the party arrays themselves to face the threat.
Rin asks the druid, "We are trying to find the whereabouts of Cragmaw Keep." "Do you have any information you can provide as to how we can find it!?"
The druid shakes his head. "Cragmaw Castle actually. It used to be a castle, from the age of Phalorm. The goblins have taken it over... at least until it crumbles onto their heads. Look, the Emerald Enclave would love to have that nest wiped out, so if you want directions, I'll give you directions. At least you'll maybe thin them out a bit. Fools.
Now, Thundertree is infested with the dead from the eruption long ago, the twig blights you claim to already have fought, giant spiders, some strange humans walking about in black masks and worst of all, a very young dragon has made a lair in the tower. So I would appreciate not having to risk my life saving your foolish ones. Leave the way you came and be quiet about it.
If you need to rest, then get inside, shut the door and don't be a bother."
"Great. Give us the directions and we will be on our way."
This guy's an ass. I'm sure we have the opportunity here to help him out and wipe out a dragon, but do we really want to help this jerk? We should go kill goblins! My thoughts.
Rin asks for directions to Cragmaw.
Lets rest here and then we can be on our way to Cragmaw.
(sorry, been doing home renovations while I have help. Will get back to it tomorrow.)
Elila leads the group using the directions provided by the druid.
Elila, Leek, Rin, Kyt, Kat is the during travel.
More decisions to make:
Do you take a direct line to Cragmaw Castle? Or do you skirt the forest until you can minimize the distance through the woods?
I think we should head back skirting the forest, like how we came up. That would be my vote.
Skirting the forest and entering it from the South East (near the Triboar Trail) results in 12 hexes (5 miles per hex), the last one being through forest.
You can choose to travel at:
Or you can choose a combination of paces... say fast pace up to the forest, then slow pace through the forest.
Slow pace is my vote. Lets hit the baddies like ninjas!
Is it a good idea to get to the castle at dusk? We would be travelling for the whole day, be tired and then try to infiltrate the castle? In reality that would be an awful plan. And camping near the castle would seem to be a bad idea, because there would be goblins everywhere.
I vote fast pace first day, then a slower pace second day (to get us at the castle near afternoon. We would still be sneaking up to it, and it would give us lots of time during the day to take out the castle.)
I second this plan.
Other rolls:
The party travels as fast as they can along the forest edge, circling around to the south east side. That night you camp on the plain and get a good night's rest.
The next morning, you set out into the forest, slowly to stealth as much as possible.
Rolling Stealth checks to keep things moving along quicker:
You all try to stealth forward, but the mules become stubborn and hard to control. Rindelk, Katerielle and Elila in particular have trouble keeping them in control and they make a racket.
From around a large boulder, you hear loud grumbling and the snapping of large branches, maybe even trees, followed by a very familiar deep rumbling "FOOD?"
I'll make a map tonight. Until then, roll initiative and let me know what you want to be doing on your first turn. Let me know how the party arrays themselves to face the threat.
Leek Init: 15
Leek will also quip that "insert name because I forget who it was" has a second chance to parlay with an ogre if he/she wants us to step back...
Initiatives:
Everyone gets to go before the Ogre, who is checking out what it's hearing, hoping it's food.
Rindelk asks the ogre, "What kind of food are you wanting to eat?"
The ogre pauses, confused. Eventually, it answers, "Bloody meat. Alive best. Not talk back bester."
(Get that as a free interaction. Now you have movement, action, bonus action and reaction left.)
I'm waiting for my turn...